The present invention relates generally to boating equipment. More particularly, the present invention provides a fender for a pontoon boat.
Boat fenders, which are often called bumpers, protect a boat from damage that might result from impact between the boat and a dock or another boat. Many types of fenders are available commercially, such as solid elastomeric fenders, which include extruded or molded rubber shapes, and low pressure fenders, which generally consist of an elastomeric skin filled with pressurized air or resilient foam. These fenders usually have eyelets or other means for suspending the fender from the superstructure of the boat between the boat and the dock or other structure. In operation, these fenders act to absorb impact forces but, unfortunately, often impart deflection and reactive forces upon the boat they are protecting.
In recent years, pontoon boats have become more common possibly because pontoon boats are both versatile and affordable. As with most boats, there is a concern that a pontoon boat, or a portion thereof, may be damaged as a result of impact with a dock, another boat or some other structure. Unfortunately, until recently, there have been no boat bumpers made specifically for pontoon boats.
A pontoon boat presents unique challenges to the fender designer. Typically, a pontoon boat has a pair of float tubes, a floor that rests on the float tubes and is surrounded by a rub rail, and a fence that is situated at the peripheral edge of the floor. The fence usually includes a frame made from a material such as corrugated steel that is not resistant to large impact forces. Often the floor, and consequently the fence, extends beyond the float tubes. Thus, if a pontoon boat collides with an object or structure, such as a dock, the impact will occur between the object and the fence and/or floor. Although a typical fender may absorb some of the energy caused by such an impact, the deflective and reactive forces imparted by the fender is often enough to damage the floor, the rub rail and, especially, the fence of the pontoon boat.
The present invention provides a fender that is designed to protect a pontoon boat. When mounted, the fender extends from the top of the fence to the top of the float tube. The fender is easy to mount and, once mounted, will stay in place. In addition, the fender is not restricted in where it may be mounted. Typical fenders require a cleat, a post or other structure to provide a place to tie a support rope. The fender of the present invention may be mounted at any location along the fence.